I came across this thread on my realm forums the other day that’s got me thinking a little bit. The thread itself is your basic “lol you/your guild/your server sucks” thread that is ripe with all kinds of trolling. However, there was a comment in there where a couple of posters commented that they not only clear all of the content, but have fun doing it along the way, and how they didn’t see anything wrong with that. And of course the trolled response they got was basically if you aren’t a top 100 guild, you suck and should get a life.

Um…ok?

The commentary going back and forth almost got me riled up enough to post on the realm forums, but then I remembered that I should “never argue with an idiot. They will only pull you down to their level, then beat you with experience”, and abstained. But as the post goes back and forth, my mind is still perplexed. I am curious exactly what is wrong with just having fun? Why is being “ranked” they only measure of a guild’s strength for so many?

Why is it that people are criticized for just enjoying something without concern for competition? In the thread above one of the posters even comes out and says they aren’t about the same things as other guilds. They place their values in different places, and they quite enjoy the game the way they play it. And yet they are criticized for doing things they way they would like? They don’t want to be the best, and they 100% understand and make no claim that they are, yet critics tell them that because they aren’t the best they are a failure. How does that work?

So many times you will see someone achieve something that is huge for them, only see some jerk comment “grats on being months behind noob”. It’s to the point that people have to qualify their accomplishments with “I know it’s old” or “I know we are months behind”, which in my opinion is just flat out wrong. An accomplishment is an accomplishment regardless of when or how it is achieved. Everyone is entitled to celebrate their accomplishments, regardless of how small they may seem to someone else. Who cares if they killed Boss X 3 months after Guild A? They still killed Boss X. They still put in the time, and had the fortitude to set a goal and meet that goal. That is a lot more than many people can say about themselves in, and out, of game.

So what is so wrong with having fun? What is so wrong with being “months behind” if you are enjoying the journey along the way? What effect does it have on you? If you don’t like it, just stay away! As my mother used to ask me as a child “Does it hurt your big toe? No? Then what does it matter to you?”. (See Mom! You knew someday I’d see the wisdom in your ways!).

If being highly competitive and the rush of being first is what you are looking for, then it is fine to place yourself into that environment. But I think it’s important to understand that not everyone is after that, and not everyone should be expected to have the same goals that you placed for yourself. For some people finding a pleasant environment to enjoy the game is more important; for others finding an environment that fits their playtimes and lifestyle is more important. But what gives anyone the right to begrudge others for having a different set of goals than they have for themselves?

Whether it be the person that is looking for the hardest of the hardcore, or the gal that just wants to see everything before the next chapter but takes her time doing it, or the guy that just wants to play with his friends, everyone is equally entitled to participate in the fashion that suits them best and in which they have fun. And nobody has the right to begrudge them for that. Ever.

So tell me, Mr. Forum Guy, exactly what is it that’s wrong with just having fun? Who are you to dictate what makes something “good” or “bad”?

21 responses to “Exactly What’s Wrong With Just Having Fun?”

There are people in my guild who log on and goof around all night. They work on their achievements, and level lowbies and do nothing “productive”. But they are having so much fun, and enjoy talking in guild chat, which is good for them. Sometimes I wish I could log on and do nothing but have fun.

The game offers so many options, that I don’t think there is a “right” or “wrong” way to play it! I think there is something “fun” to be had for everyone, I just get mad at those that critisize someone else’s idea of fun!

they are grand poobah’s of Wow, don’tcha know? seriously though, its a common tactic of someone who has nothing constructive to say, to start with personal insults and general negativity.

they will armory you and nitpick every single choice that’s not 100% perfect and/or cookie cutter and will do their best to rip you to shreds.

unfortunately – to sorta quote Khepsacovich: the more popular something becomes, the more trolls it attracts. WoW is extremely popular MMO and as such, its practically a breeding ground for trolling, because it has plenty of people to troll :( its very unfortunate but at this point the only way it will change is if the game all of sudden loses its appeal, making all the arses of the internet search for more fruitful trolling grounds.

Threads like that are the reason I try to avoid the official forums; it’s gets me so frustrated when people express an opinion and then aren’t willing to listen to others. I’m not in a raiding guild (hell, not even in a guild on one of my 80s), but I enjoy my limited playtime, and who is anyone else to tell me that breaking the 2K DPS barrier isn’t an achievement, or getting a compliment for my healing (Resto/Balance BTW) shouldn’t mean as much to me as wiping the floor with the Lich King in my uber-guild?

I’m married and 36 years old, and I’m never going to give up my life to be in a top guild, but I still manage to enjoy playing WoW.

Many people feel threatened in their social standing if other people don’t share their goals, even if they don’t know it. And the emotionally easiest way for A to deal with a B and their different goals is to dismiss and troll B for not living up to A’s standard. (That even has the added bonus of validating A in the eyes of those who share A’s goals and methods.)

Because A is right and everyone should see that! And if B DOESN’T they MUST be dumb or at least not belong to A’s superious group, because, well, if B were right, where does that leave A?

Emotions are complex. Especially if one’s unaware what exactly one is feeling and goes straight from “you’re proud on WHAT?!” to “YOU SUCK!”

Many people have trouble to emotionally understand “A’s right and B’s too.” Our environment does encourage a “If one is right the other must be wrong” and a “If one wins another one has to lose” mentality. You could also write it as “This one’s great, so the other thing I did not choose must suck!”

And of course the trolled response they got was basically if you aren’t a top 100 guild, you suck and should get a life.

I know it’s a cheap shot, but it always strikes me that anybody who invests so much in a video game that they care where their guild is ranked is on very, very shaky ground when it comes to telling people to get lives.

Having nothing better to do than invest large amounts of time, every day, to playing a video game does not to my mind put one in a strong position for criticizing other people’s life choices.

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